Engaging pupils learning EAL

Part of the series Sharing Your Great Practice

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Screen capture from Engaging pupils learning EAL

5:00 mins

Summary
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A primary school demonstrates how it has supported pupils and teachers during an influx of EAL pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Over the past 10 years, Fairlop Primary School has created an effective and impressive approach to integrating its EAL students, who speak over 30 different languages.

Primarily EMA coordinator, Rachel Brittle, conducts an induction process, welcoming each individual into the school community.

The induction process involves parents and carers, and helps build a sense of trust as well as enabling teachers to gain knowledge on the pupils' previous education, and extent of their language skills in English and their mother tongue.

Rachel also leads a team of teaching assistants who give specialised one-to-one tuition to new arrivals. By allowing the children some breathing space outside of the classroom, the pupils and teachers feel fully supported in the learning and revising of English vocabulary and grammar.